Illuminating device



v. F. TAYLOR 2,102,764

ILLUMIfiATING DEVICE Filed July 29, 1936 Patented Dec. 21, 1937 J UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to automotive vehicles and more particularly to thelights carried by such vehicles that are employed in illuminating thecourse of vehicular travel.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of simple,economical and efficient means of advising an observer of the exactposition of the body of a vehicle approaching in the dark even thoughone of the two road lights ordinarily carried by the vehicle isextinguished.

Another object is the provision of a means which is simple andinexpensive in construction and which readily lends itself toinstallation and use in known and available automobile headlights with aminimum of change or alteration in the headlight construction.

' Another object of my invention is the production and utilization of animproved headlight lens of compact, inexpensive and thoroughly reliable20 construction particularly designed to throw a beam of white light indesired pattern and an associated beam of colored light of such size,

configuration and juxtaposition as to effectively illuminate a desiredfield and at the same time 25 afford a reliable signal or indicationobservable at a desired range and within a given field.

Other objects in part will be obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the com- 30 bination of elements,features of construction and arrangement of parts as described hereinand the scope of the application of which is indicated in the followingclaim.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l represents a plan view of anautomotive vehicle hearu ing an illuminating and indicating deviceincluding certain features of my invention,

Figure 2 is a detached front elevation view, on

an enlarged scale, of the vehicle and illuminating 0 device shown inFigure 1,

Figures 3, 4 and 5 represent vehicle headlight lenses or glassesconstructed according to the provisions of my invention, and

Figure 6 represents a modified form of my in- 5 vention as applied toknown vehicle headlight lenses or glasses.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features of myinvention, it may be noted at this point that in vehicular traiiic atnight,

50 especially along country roadways, considerable apprehension ofdanger of collision. is caused where an approaching car shows but asingle headlight. While an observer driving along such a roadway isapprized oi the fact that a car is 5 approaching in the oppositedirection he has no means of knowing whether the main body of a car liesof! to the right or to the left of the approaching light. It isnecessary for the observer to drive sufficiently on the right-hand sideof the approaching light so as to avoid the possibility of 5 collisionin the event the main body of the vehicle lies to the right of theheadlight displayed. In doing so, however, he runs the risk of drivinghis I own car off the road with consequent damage to the car andresultant personal injury.

Where the observer proceeds upon the assumption that the main body ofthe approaching vehicle lies on the left of'the oncoming light, he alltoo frequently finds that his'assumption is in error and when within buta few feet of the 15 approaching car is called upon to act speedily toavoid a collision. In many instances, partially because of the glare ofthe single headlight displayed by the oncoming vehicle and partiallybecause of the darkness then prevailing, the ascertainment of theposition of the body of the vehicle comes too late to avoid collision Agreat many operators of automotive vehicles recognize the existence ofthis situation. In a number of States there are public statutes ofrecord forbidding the operation of automobiles at night unless bothheadlights are illuminated. Unfortunately, the-existence of thesestatutes on the record books is not suflicient to prevent the operationof such vehicles because of the practical difflculties involved in theirenforcement. Many investigators have designed certain devices intendedto advise an observer of the position of an approaching vehicle withrespect to lights carried by the vehicle. It appears, however, that noneof such devices are in use today.

Accordingly, one of the outstanding objects of my invention is theprovision of simple, practical, inexpensive and efllcient means foradvising an observer of the exact position of an oncoming vehicle atnight where either of the driving lights or headlights carried by theapproaching vehicle is extinguished, all with maximum ease and withminimum danger of collision.

Referring now more particularly to the practice of my inventionattention is directed to Figure 1 of the drawing wherein an automobileIll, bearing headlights Illa and lb is traveling along a roadwaygenerally denoted II in a downwardly direction, as seen in-the drawing.The course of vehicle Ill is observed by the driver of automobile l2,bearing headlights lia and l2b, traveling along roadway II in anupwardly direction, as seen in the drawing. In accordance with the rulesof the road existing in this country vehicle It is light.

operating along the left-hand side of the road, as seen in the drawing,while vehicle I! is moving along the right-hand side of the road.

Now the position of the approaching automobile ID is readily observed bythe driver of automobile I2 under night driving conditions where both ofthe headlights Illa and lb of the approac'hlng vehicle are operatingproperly. Where, for example; the left headlight Illa of the approachingvehicle has become extinguished there is some question as to whether ornot the main body of the vehicle In lies to the right or to the left ofthe observed headlight I0b. In accordance with the provisions of myinvention there is emitted from headlight [0b a beam of white ,lightgenerally indicated at [3 and an associated beam of colored light I3a,both coming from a source of light generally indicated at 2011 (seeFigure 2). In order that the beam of colored light may be readilyobserved by the operator of vehicle l2 this beam of light is preferablypositioned along the extreme outer edge of the beam of white Similarlythe left headlight Illa emits light coming from a source of light energygenerally indicated at 20b (see Figure 2) in the form of a beam of whitelight l6 and an associated beam of colored light I ia.

In order that the observer in car l2 may receive the visual indicationcoming from either one or both of headlights Illa and lb of theapproaching vehicle it! the colored beams Ma. and 13a respectivelyassociated with. white beams it and i3 emitted from these headlightsoccupy positions on the right of the white beams, as seen by theobserver, (see also Figure 2). With this arrangement colored visualindication is received by the operator of car 2 with a minimum of directglare from the white beams of light thrown by the headlights of theapproaching vehicle. Also, with this arrangement there is a minimum ofunnecessary illumination of fields away from the observer and theconsequent eificiency of roadway illumination.

The colored beams Ho and Ma coming from headlights Ma and Nib-are ofdifferent colors. Conveniently the beam [to is red in color, while beamMa is green.

Similarly the right-hand headlight i222, as seen by an observer in carin, sends along the near side of the beam of white light 2! a streak ofgreen light Zia and the left-hand headlight 92a emits a beam of whitelight 22 bearing a streak of red light 22a along its near side.

The coloring of the auxiliary indicating beams associated with thedriving lights or headlights of automotive vehicles necessarily must bethe same for all vehicles. Thus, an observer of a single aproachingdriving light, with an asso ciated beam of red light, is warned that themain body of the vehicle lies oif to the left-hand side of this light.Similarly, where the approaching driving light bears an associated greenbeam the observer knows that the main body of the vehicle lies on theright-hand side of this beam. In either instance the observer may drivethe vehicle which he is operating in such a manner as to pass theapproaching vehicle it without danger of collision or without risk ofsuddenly having to guide his vehicle ofi the side of the road.

The colored indicating beams la and ma respectively associated withwhite beams M and i3 emitted from headlights Illa and "lb areconveniently assured to occupy a space along the right-hand edge of thefan-shaped envelopes of light emitted from these headlights by way ofthe colored sections I50. and lGa (see Figure 2)' of the respectiveheadlight lenses or headlight glasses i5 and 18 associated withheadlights la. and lllb. Conveniently the colored sections l5a and Macomprise segments of lenses I5 and i6. Preferably (see Figure 3) thecolored portion l5a of the lens comprises about 5 per cent of thesurface of the lens although this may range from say 1 per cent to about10 per cent. The colored portion of the lens is preferably in the formof a segment since this shape is effective in giving a broad coloredstreak to the outer edge of the beam of white light passing through themain body of the lens. Certain advantages are achieved however, where(see Figure i) colored portion 25a of lens 25 is of a circular or ovalshape. Likewise, certain advantages are gained (see Figure 5) where acolored portion of 35a of lens is in the form of a sector.

The colored section its associated with lens l5 conveniently comprises asection of colored glass made integral with the colored portion of thelens itself: Certain economies in construction are achieved, however,where the colored portion consists of kodeloid or some similar coloredtransparent material made-into the glass lens. Certain other economiesare realized (see Figure 6) where a colored sheet of kodeloicl, or likematerial, 9 i'a is mounted on the periphery of lens 57 by suitablefastening devices i'ib and He. With this construction suitable coloredsections may be added to known and used vehicle headlight lenses orglasses at a minimum cost.

Thus it will be seen that there has been provided in this invention avisual indicating means for advising an observer as to the exactlocation or the main body of an approaching vehicle when either of thetwo headlights of that vehicle are extinguished. It will be seen thatthese means are simple, inexpensive in construction and installa-.

tion and thoroughly reliable and highly practical in operation. It willbe seen that my visual indicating means may be readily installed in theheadlight assembly of automotive vehicles at a minimum of cost.

While many possible embodiments may be made of my invention and whilemany changes may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore set forth, itwill be understood that all matter described herein, or shown in theaccompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrativea'nd not in aiimiting sense.

I claim:

In vehicle road illuminating devices of the character described, incombination with a vehicle, a pair of headlights, each provided with atransparent closure having a colored portion along the right-handperiphery thereof, as seen by an observer, amounting to from about 1 percent to 10 per cent of the area of closure, said portions being ofdifferent color for each one oi said pair oi head-lights whereby mainbeams of light are sent forth by said head-lights having colored signalstreaks along the sides of said beams toward an observer in anapproaching vehicle, thus giving visual indication as to the position ofthe body of the first-mentioned vehicle without blinding the observerwith the main light from the head-lights thereof.

VERNON F. TAYLOR.

